For a moment, as he stood over the man, Vius felt a strange sensation. The metallic smell of blood excited him in a way that he was unfamiliar with. The dead man before him was similarly interesting to him. It was a feeling akin to hunger but more like a needless hunger. Much like one salivates when one smells food, even after a large meal. What is happening to me? He could almost swear that he could feel the man's essence, his soul, as it left his body. If he tried hard enough, he felt like he could grab that essence and somehow make it his. There was still that smell of blood, too. That would be much easier to take. there is some on the blade right now... so easy to consume... As each foreign thought unfolded, Vius felt as if he was looking through his own eyes into the mind of someone else. He was at once disgusted and intrigued. Then, Ein's voice brought Vius back to reality.

Vius hesitated as Ein swept past him. The psionicist's tone was hard to read. What he was feeling, Vius could not tell but the elf's eyes widened when the blue haired man motioned for him to follow. Now it was official, Vius was not simply stalking and harassing Ein. They were traveling companions for the moment. Vius still felt he should watch what he said, for Ein could decide he had had enough of the elf and send him away. Vius glanced over at the mangled body of Ein's former opponent. Or worse... Despite phrasing it in what seemed to be a rhetorical tone, Vius followed Ein and answered his queries as they continued their trek through the cold-fire forest. First, though, he wiped his weapon clean on the bandit's shirt. "The dead have a bad habit of not staying dead in this world," Vius said quietly. As he spoke, he unconsciously traced his empty hand over one of the three scars given to him by the drow wizard. He shook his head and returned his knife to it's hiding place in his robe, then stood and jogged a few steps to catch up and walk alongside Ein. The elf's smile returned after a moment despite all that had happened; he took a deep breath, then continued his thought. "So, I take a moment to respectfully hope they pass to the next world instead of returning as specters. As for killing, well, I suppose that neither of us is just a simple scholar, eh?"

_________________"What torment, to have your thinking and your fantasy tied down by another person!" - Alexander Alekhine Vius Ottum

The deeper one traveled into Coldfire Forest, the more the flames seemed to manifest into tangible shapes and forms. What began as simple, indigo pyres atop the branches of deadened trees now looked like the silhouettes of dozens and dozens of people. Strange, inchoate people whose eyes were as white as snow and whose fingers reached outwards, as if to pluck adventurers from their skin. They swayed back and forth, constantly clawing forward like any kind of blaze would... only this one seemed sentient. It was as if they sensed the warmth within Vius and Ein, and desired to extinguish it.

These parts were precisely why travelers avoided this place. But the psionicist continued his path, unnerved. He had been here once before, of his own volition, and found something of great interest. He had stumbled upon the "reason" that Coldfire existed, an inkling of truth within the primitive tales and legends written of in books. More importantly, however, it was a chance to show the high elf the dangers of power, and how a single individual can change the world so profoundly.

In only a short while, the path for the two spellcasters began to dwindle in size. Icy fingers reached ever closer; sometimes, this forced the blue-haired man to duck, while in other moments they had to squeeze in a single file to fit between trees. The trek quickly became burdensome, though Ein made conversation as best he could.

"Do you remember what I said about this forest? How it was created?" The psionicist turned his head while he spoke, though certain to keep some of his attention on his footing. "The mage. I want you to see the ruins."

Using his staff to push aside a large branch, Ein opened vision to what looked like the remnants of a large courtyard. A pathway existed between rows of beautiful flowers, roses, all frozen to perfection. Beyond was an archway, still intact even though ice had wrapped itself completely around the foundation. As for everything else, only frosted stone remained; a once great castle, torn asunder by some unknown force.

As they traveled, Vius was quiet, lost in thought about what had happened earlier. Since his resurrection, foreign thoughts sometimes found their way into his mind. He had dismissed them as simple flights of fancy but when he ended that bandits' life, it was very clear that there was at least one other voice in his head but it felt like there may have been more. What was he to do about that? Akmun had disappeared shortly after whatever ritual he performed to raise the high elf and his clan mates had scattered. Even as the footing grew less stable and the path grew more treacherous, these thoughts played over in Vius' mind. When Ein spoke, it was almost like his voice was coming from somewhere far away, yet he was standing right in front of Vius. The elf nodded at the psionicist's words and once again put his troubles behind him for the moment.

When Ein moved moved the branches blocking their path, he revealed an amazing sight. A pathway of white and blue and colors in between; layers of ice thick enough to keep everything in some kind of stasis but it was all completely visible. Rows and rows of roses...this must have been a nice little courtyard before whatever had happened to it, now it was imposing. There was a sense of wrongness here, even beyond the fact that everything seemed to have frozen over at once. Vius took a few steps forward and that bad feeling grew stronger. He glanced back at Ein for a moment but then turned and strode forward, not wanting to seem cowardly to the spellcaster he had sought out so vigorously. As he approached the arch, he sensed a deep, low sound he couldn't identify. It was as regular as the ticking of a clock but he simply couldn't place what it was.

Upon entry of the archway, Vius' breath caught for a moment. There, surrounded in a thick block of ice, was a woman of unearthly beauty. The ice tinted her visage with an azure light but he could see dark hair framing a perfect face. He couldn't tell what her expression was, though it could have been shock, fear or anger. He didn't realize his breath had caught in his throat until he suddenly gasped for air. There was a sense of power emanating from the woman and Vius slowly circled her, unsure if Ein was going to follow him into this area. It was on his third or fourth step that he noticed with some apprehension that her eyes were watching him. They had locked onto him and were following him as he moved. That strange, low sound...Vius took a step forward, almost as if he couldn't stop himself, and moved as close as he could to her icy prison without touching it. There was a pulse! The woman's heart beat and Vius strained to hear it. It's rhythm was the same as that low, thrumming sound but which influenced the other? Vius scrambled several steps backwards, his mouth open in a wordless expression of confusion. Then it dawned on him.

"...this forest...burns with such a strange fire...because of knowledge...and power....see what happens to those that hold such great knowledge.""Who...who was...who is this?" Vius found it hard to form the words and was not sure he wanted the answer or if he would get one. In truth, he was not even sure Ein had followed him. From the moment he had set his eyes on her, he had not taken them off of the enticing woman. He was hardly aware of anything else. It all seemed to melt away as his silver eyes traced the outline of her face, followed the curve of her body and yet they never met that fearsome gaze head on, as if he knew that to stare into her eyes would be to lose himself.

_________________"What torment, to have your thinking and your fantasy tied down by another person!" - Alexander Alekhine Vius Ottum

"Ultimate power ultimately corrupts..." Ein's voice came behind Vius, the psionicist silently joining as the elf studied the woman.

"But, to answer your question, I don't know who she is. Or how long she's been here..." Now, Ein paced around the mage's tomb, pondering her existence. "She knows where she is and that we're watching her, but she's trapped. She's a prisoner to her own power." There was a brief period of quiet as the blue-haired man looked deeply into the ice; the mage's eyes shifted from Vius to stare back. "You could end up like this, or worse."

The psionicist turned to face high elf then, "And I've seen your eyes. They're filled with rage. No matter how much you smile and act like you're above emotions, I can see it. The kind of power you seek is dangerous, and you're closer to attaining it than you realize." Absentmindedly, Ein's free hand went to trace over the block of ice in front of him. "And because of this... I can't teach you what you want to know."

Twisting at his hips to leave, the human spoke over his shoulder, "I'm sorry... you're not ready yet." Another moment of silence, then the man stopped. "But I won't send you away with nothing. I want to test you."

Spinning back to face the warlock, Ein issued an ultimatum. "If you can draw blood in a battle with me, before I knock you unconscious, I'll teach you something."

His eyes still locked on the prisoner in the ice, Vius nodded gently at Ein's talk of ultimate power corrupting. Then, the psionicist spoke of Vius ending up like that and the elf smiled. Not if I have the right teacher... It was at the exact moment that Vius had that thought that Ein announced he could not teach the elf. Not that he wouldn't but that he couldn't. He said Vius wasn't ready. The elf's blood suddenly boiled. How many lifetimes would it take to prepare me, I wonder? Perhaps Ein felt grateful for Vius saving his life or it could be that the psionicist wanted to test Vius' limits and see what power he may have to face in the future but he gave the elf an opportunity that Vius could not pass up. Fear and excitement welled up in him and a single thought came from somewhere else inside the elf's head.

Blood."Very well, I accept."

Without taking his eyes off the woman, Vius raised his right hand. Silver motes of light danced around while blue light encircled the two spellcasters. Vius' pale face reflected that sapphire light, casuing him to appear to glow. The Void's power froze him inside, even more than the wind, snow or anything else he had experienced so far. Once he felt that power and knew it was in him, it was simple to move again. He no longer felt compelled by the hauntingly alluring woman in ice.

The elf grinned and turned to face the psionicist but there was a hint of malice in his eyes. Despite the wildly exaggerated stories he had heard, even despite what he had seen Ein do, Vius knew that the psionicist was still as mortal as he himself was. Again, the elf felt absently at one of the scars that the drow wizard had left him with. The silver light around Vius' right hand was now in the shape of his Brightsteel sword. There was a final soft glow and then the weapon was whole and in hand; the weapon that would draw Ein's blood.

Then the battle began. Vius charged forward, ready to engage the psionicist. As he neared the man, he leaped forward with a thrust, sending his blade straight out towards Ein's shoulder with a hope that it would end this test quickly. Whatever Ein had to teach would be worth learning, Vius knew that much. If this fight was dragged on for too long, the elf might find himself on the losing side. Being beaten unconscious and left in the middle of the Coldfire Forest did not sound like a desirable experience.

--------------------------------------Brightsteel used, 0x left

_________________"What torment, to have your thinking and your fantasy tied down by another person!" - Alexander Alekhine Vius Ottum

(Awesome. Less fluff and details, more ACTION now. Good last few posts, by the way.)

Ein watched Vius closely, the elf raising his hand after accepting the challenge. At the warlock's beckoning, sterling atoms of light were summoned into existence. They churned around the two before focusing within the voidcaster's core. The psionicist watched, felt, the mana move within the man. [Acute Perception] It was a powerful incantation, climbing up his right arm to form a resplendent glow around his fingertips. Quite unlike anything that Ein had experienced before, this energy began to manifest a physical shape. The elf turned and gave an almost malevolent grin while the spell took its final form. A sword now rested within his grasp, and it became obvious why he didn't carry any weapons.

With the short time available, Ein readied his own defenses. It began with the simple act of taking his dragon tooth staff in both hands, holding it diagonally across his body. His coat and shirt would be armor enough for now, the human tensing his muscles in anticipation of the fight. His right foot advanced slightly forward, knees bent. The blue-haired man was prepared himself for Vius' attack. Announced by a battle cry, the warlock stepped forth and sent a driving stab towards his target's shoulder. Wisps of a blue light would materialize in front of him however as the psionicist brushed just barely past the edge of the blade.

[Mind Probe; 1x left]

"You'll have to try harder." Ein whispered, dragging his weapon across the ground as he spun and shifted his position. Flakes of snow shot into the air during the exchange. While neither of the spellcasters really exhibited any true speed, the force of their movement was enough to stir at least some chaos. Ein's grip on his weapon changed elaborately as he moved, hoping to take advantage of his opponent's form of attack. Only a single hand gripped the ivory pole now, allowing the other to shoot towards the elf's back; a shove or stumble by normal standards. Possibly a trip in this situation, the staff being held fast against the ground in front of Vius' right foot. It was surprisingly fluid, movements tightened in the presence of the psioncist's spell. Not an ounce of energy, nor a moment of time was wasted. In a flash, the voidcaster would perhaps find himself going much further forward than he intended to be.

While such a counter might be more insulting than anything, it wasn't necessarily meant to be. With a face full of snow, perhaps the elf would begin to understand a bit more about the challenge. It wasn't at all important that blood was actually drawn. This test wasn't solely about physical strength. It was relative to ALL of the warlock's abilities: how cunning and clever he was, the strength of his magic, his tenacity, and even his ability to control his temper and think things through. Furthermore, it gave Ein the chance firsthand to see what type of man Vius was. How one carries their self in battle reveals a lot about an individual.

Time and time again, a straight forward charge served no other purpose than for Vius' opponent to outsmart him and land a blow. Vius should have learned by now that the tactic was useless in battle and yet, he continued to employ it. What made it worse was that the counter Ein employed was almost condescending. In a flash, Vius was back on the training grounds outside of his old village, picking himself up after another long, hard day of training. He could see the old dwarven fighter that trained him, shaking his head but smiling none the less. The old man always said he admired Vius' spirit, even if he couldn't fight worth a goblin's-

Weak.

That voice. It interrupted his thoughts.

Foolish.

A second voice agreed.

ENOUGH!

A flash of insight, then. Vius saw what Ein meant. Whatever was wrong with the elf at the moment, he definitely wasn't ready to take that power that he was so close to grasping. There was a war inside his head, something he couldn't understand. Ein hadn't dismissed him completely, which meant that on some level, the psionicist believed that Vius could eventually be worthy enough to wield the Void at it's fullest. Even without saying it, Ein had placed faith in Vius through his actions. Vius stood to his feet, his back to Ein. He wouldn't let another person down. He grinned again, this time, an honest smile. They would have their duel, here in the snow, and Vius would show Ein his trust wasn't misplaced.

Spinning to face the man, Vius raised his left hand. two fingers outstretched from an otherwise closed fist. His right arm was extended but angled down slightly. The warlock's footing was spaced evenly, in a wide stance to prepare for a move he was confident would at least surprise his opponent, even if it didn't exactly do some damage. First, there was the matter of speed. The Void flooded into Vius and the faint silver light of his sword was joined by two more spots of incandescence as translucent, argent wings appeared behind the elf. His spell was completed in a hurry; now for the hard part.

The elf stepped forward, sidestepping foot over foot carefully in order to keep his concentration on the movement of his sword. As soon as he thought he was close enough, Vius exploded in a quick arc, swinging his right arm around clockwise while moving his left arm in a sort of counterbalance. The brightsteel sword skimmed the ground just enough to scoop up a bit of snow and Vius tilted the sword during his circular motion when it was just short of being completely horizontal, causing the snow to fly forward. When he finished the move, Vius brought his sword back down and found himself in a mirrored version of the stance he had taken earlier, only closer to his opponent than before. The attack was more of a defensive positioning than anything else, though if Ein was caught off-guard and blinded by the snow trick, Vius would consider that a lucky break.

Picking himself up from the ground, Vius turned back towards his opponent and offered, what could only be assumed, a more honest grin than before. In the brief moments in which it took the high elf to touch the ground, it seemed as though the man had learned something. A certain inner dialog was troubling him and those thoughts began to whittle away at the warrior's focus; he stood little chance against Ein's counter. He simply wasn't paying attention. And if Vius was to succeed in the challenge given to him, he was going to need every ounce of guile and concentration he could muster. Renewing himself, the warlock once against raised his left hand. This time, his fingers took an odd position, allowing a different form of luminescence to engulf his body.

Ein's grip around his weapon tightened, his knuckles whitening as his own energy soared. There was a clash of raw power between the two causing the courtyard around them to erupt in static electricity. Bolts of mana spider-webbed along the crumbled walls and the ground beneath the spellcasters began to shake. Vius was not an opponent to scoff at. Though his control of the mystic arts was lacking, the high elf's potential was equal to, perhaps even HIGHER, than Ein's. He was like a piece of flawless steel. His technique was unrefined, crude. Yet, this metal, this man, held the capacity to be forged into one of the most powerful weapons to ever walk the face of Darkness Incarnate. As for now, it was simply a matter of grinding out that potential.

[Ether Shield; 1x left]

While mana rattled the battlefield, shaking even the prison of ice before the two, Ein began to shape a spell of his own. The warlock's enchantment would be the first to finish, however. A pair of ethereal wings formed on the high elf's back, threading together like twine into an elaborate piece of rope. Silver and almost celestial in design, the blue-haired man could only guess as to what their function was to be; a flying opponent would be hard to deal with. Squinting and determined to steel himself against an attack, the psionicist concentrated his efforts into finishing his own conjuration.

Continuing to hold his staff in his right, Ein extended his other arm perpendicular to his body. Clenching a tight fist, indigo flakes of snow started to converge across his knuckles. It was a soft, blue glow, lasting only a brief second before being absorbed within the lines between fingers. Nevertheless, Vius wouldn't allow his opponent the time needed to finish casting. Such a thing would be foolish. Instead, the high elf pressed forward and employed a rather underhanded trick-- slashing his sword, not against Ein, but against the ground in an effort impair vision. Snow and dirt burst into the air, a flurry just brief enough to push the blue-haired man backwards.

Ein shook his head, mana still trapped within his left hand. He wasn't blinded, just... stunned. He blinked rapidly knowing full well that Vius wasn't witless enough to let this chance go by. Instead of feigning a defense, the psionicist simply released the spell he channeled previously; He twisted his arm, allowing his fingers to open upward. A crystalline sphere to become visible, hovering just slightly above the palm. If the worst came true, it would be at least SOME protection.

The trick had worked, simple enough. Ein took a step back and released whatever spell he had prepared and Vius paused to quickly consider what the purpose of the spell was. Would that little glowing ball fire some sort of beam? The way it floated slightly above Ein's hand made Vius think that maybe it was an attack that was still charging; some spells simply took more time than others. Vius was thankful for his ties to the Southern Cross before and now to the Void. He seemed to be able to access and use mana faster than other spellcasters he had faced off against. However, once they finished their mana manipulation, others seemed to pack a harder punch. Vius would have to stick close and dodge at the right time.

The Void filled the elf still and the power was on tap, so to speak. Vius approached his opponent confidently, maintaining his fighting stance with the sword still pointed at the psionicist. There was only a few steps between them but the frozen woman's courtyard had plenty of space to maneuver in. As Vius tilted his head to quickly take in his surroundings, he was amazed to see the effects of the simple magic he had worked so far. The ground shook, the air crackled, there was a smell of ozone. It was not Vius' fault, this battlefield seemed to react to magic as if it were hungry for more. Could Ein have always planned for the two of them to have a mini-showdown in this place? Maybe the man was really a scholar running some kind of experiment... well, who was Vius to interfere in another scholar's work? He would play the part he was given and fight the best he could.

Thoughts had flown through Vius' quickened mind in only a fraction of a second and he had a tentative plan of action. He knew from previous battle experience that jumping directly at an opponent was not a good idea. However, a quick hop couldn't hurt. It might have been the winged aspect of his spell but Vius found himself wanting to lift off the ground whenever he felt the energy of his Wings running through him. He hopped forward and moved his right arm back, feinting an attack. Meanwhile, his left arm shot up as if in counterbalance. Silver light emanated from it; that was where the real attack would come from. Of course, Vius still couldn't tell if Ein was reading his mind or not, so the whole fake attack might be a waste of time and mana. Still, if Vius could just touch Ein with his current spell, it might knock the man down, which the elf would take as a small victory in itself.

Movement came as a blur, white, silver, and blue mixing on the battlefield while Ein fought himself for full vision. He was far from helpless, but the previous attack had rattled his sight pretty well. His other senses were forced to pick up the slack for the time being. He heard Vius approach, ice crunching under his weight in the few moments his feet were touching the ground. Ein felt his opponent's energy rise, a small tingling against the back of his neck [Acute Perception]. The psionicist's staff moved almost of its own volition, instinctively, the weapon crossing over his body to block a potential slash. The vitals were important to salvage after all. However, the high elf's feint wasn't well placed. His opponent was already dazed which meant that many of the 'could be' nuances of combat were lost. It was a precious moment squandered, allowing the blue-haired man an additional step backwards.

Even worse, as the warlock brought his palm forward in a strike, he would find his momentum suddenly halted. Sterling and indigo battled inside his hand. The source of the problem being the crystal orb from earlier. The match wouldn't last long, Ein's shield shattering completely once it had warded away Vius' magic. For the high elf, it would be like pushing a boat into the water; at first, complete resistance followed shortly by the exact opposite.

Chaos aside, the psionicist had returned to his senses. Wiping a bit of melted snow off his face with his left hand, he gave somewhat of a grin. Dirty tricks aside, Vius also seemed to be a fairly competent swordsman. He seemed to rely more on brute force than most spellcasters though. It was an odd trait. The grin turned more into a smirk, the psionicist putting out his left hand and taunting his opponent forward with two fingers.

"Surely that's not everything you have."

On many levels, it seemed as though Ein was trying to wear away at Vius' strength. Being the more powerful of the two, the blue-haired man could likely withstand many of his opponent's attacks. Following the current course, the warlock would eventually just run out of steam. And while that was what the blue-haired human wanted in a way... it wasn't for as nearly a nefarious purpose as suspected. Training and teaching always went as such. Before you build, you must bring yourself to the brink of your weakness and knowledge. In those last few throes, you'd often grasp something that you didn't know you had. Following that thought, a flicker of a sour memory shot through Ein's brain. One of him picking flesh from beneath his fingernails, fingernails stained red. Both hands shifted to his staff then, still held diagonally, defensively, across his body.

"Give me your BEST shot." The human mocked. "I'll take you to Hell and back before you get to learn something from me."

Vius felt resistance and was sure he had landed a blow. The psionicist stepped back, proving Vius wrong but still, resistance remained. That spell...it wasn't an attack! The realization hit Vius slower than it should have; he had been too distracted earlier. The shield stretched for a moment, then shattered, absorbing his wasted power and dispersing it into the air as silver flakes of Void magic while it burst into fragments of blue. There was a sound like ice scraping along crystal moments before the remainders of each spell fell like tiny snowflakes but, if one were to watch closely, they disappeared before they hit the ground, returning to the ethereal place that mana exists.

Vius quickly hopped back and raised his sword defensively, expecting a counter attack. After all, Ein had threatened to knock him unconscious. The psionicist remained where he was, a few paces of distance between them. He taunted Vius again, his own obvious superiority worn in a simple smirk of confidence. Vius didn't reply, simply because there was nothing he could say. The wings were a drain on him and they wouldn't last much longer. Vius could already feel their effects, especially after the previous fight and the hike they had been through to get here. Could it be that Ein was testing Vius' endurance? It was so hard to tell but Vius would persevere; he had to know what Ein was going to teach him. The human continued talking, and Vius could only shake his head at the comment that Ein would take him to Hell and back.

"Alright, then. To Hell I go,"

Vius lowered his sword to one side and shifted his stance slightly. His left hand crept to his sword, too, giving himself a two-handed grip on the short blade. Silver wings fluttered once and then folded, as a hawk's do during a dive on a rabbit. He leaned forward for only a fraction of a second and then rushed, a straight forward charge, his own fairly quick steps made faster by the Void magic flowing through him. A great surge of magic shot through his left hand, into the pommel of the sword and the blade glowed even brighter than usual at his side. The flash of silver light turned everything monochrome for a moment; the casters, their weapons, the battle ground, all cast in hues of gray, white and black. The smell of ozone filled the air, snow crunched under foot, winds howled. This was it. As soon as he was near enough, the warlock slashed his weapon forward in a wide arc towards Ein's chest. Vius' eyes shined, locked on to Ein, prepared to scar the psionicist if that's what he had to do. There could be no holding back; Ein would know if Vius did for even a moment.

There was a palpable charge in the air. An invisible cloud of mana had descended onto the battlefield, powerful enough to make the hairs on one's arms to stand on end. It was at a level so thick that even the most mundane of individuals could feel it stutter the blood in their veins, clotting it through sheer magical strength. At each heartbeat, it would feel more and more oppressive for them; It was like being lost inside a black cave while invisible creatures stirred around you. Nevertheless, Vius and Ein were not normal denizens within the world. They could very well withstand the sheet of magic surrounding them. Moreover, they could use it, adapt to it. At each spell slung, it added to the thick veil of power surrounding the two... likely an effect of the mage trapped in the ice block before them.

She watched with gleeful eyes, probing with senses akin to Ein's own. She felt what the two were doing and rejoiced in the fact that she had been given the opportunity to "watch". They were spectacular entertainment and wielded powerful spells. How much had the world changed since she had trapped herself? She knew not. Were there now others that rivaled, even surpassed, her strength? It meant little that she couldn't interact with the men, she didn't need to. Their presence was enough. Inside the ice, her fingers twitched unnoticed.

"That's more like it!" The psionicist yelled, more taunts at Vius' expense. "Show me your spirit, so that I might break it."

Given that the warlock had taken his blade in BOTH hands, the battle was about to reach another level of ferocity. Power welled within the high elf, channeling from his core and traveling through his left arm then up and into his blade. It scintillated silver, flaring wildly as Vius poured more quintessence into the weapon. Unlike psionics, warlock magic used an outside source to fuel spells. It was akin to wizardry in a way, drawing from mana that existed outside the body instead of personal stamina. Honestly, Ein wasn't too familiar with the process, oblivious to the fact that his opponent's magic was different than others of his schooling. The Void was new to Darkness Incarnate, which also meant that it was unknown to Ein. As argent colors sparked and danced from Vius' sword, he felt intrigued. As much as the psionicist could teach, he could also learn from this magic. The methods in which smaller spells combined to form larger ones were especially interesting.

While the elf's magic churned within his weapon, he began his movement forward. Vius was aided by the angelic wings at his back, each step traveling almost twice as far as it should have. In a second, Ein was face-to-face with his opponent, the warlock drawing back as if to swing an axe for the killing blow. The blue-haired human stared at the light that Vius wielded. The luminescence was thick and tangible as it surged around the area, casting away darkness like snowflakes in the wind. The moment was art-worthy. If Vius had been a deity, Ein was certain to be pictured as a devil about to be brought to justice. The psionicist's shadow was the only one to remain against the radiance of the high elf's attack.

There was a bright flash as their weapons collided. Ein's dragon tooth staff fought well (albeit briefly) against his adversary's sword. Physically, there was no way for Vius to lose. Despite putting all his weight and strength into the block, the blow was simply too powerful for the human to handle. Light subsiding, he was seen skipping across the ground with his staff going in a different direction. Face down in the snow, the taste of copper filled the blue-haired spellcaster's mouth. He swallowed hard, almost gagging on the taste of his own blood. 'Not yet.' He demanded of himself. To "lose" now wouldn't teach Vius anything. His arms rattled as he fought himself up. Standing, there was a clear mark across both his coat and shirt, though no actual wound was seen. His staff had taken some of the attack, allowing his armor to absorb most of the rest. What normally would have slashed his chest clean open was reduced to a heavy, painful bruise. His right hand lifted to touch his chest, causing a visible wince. Minor internal bleeding, the injury spanning from the top of his left shoulder to the right side of his hip. The reason for tasting blood earlier was now obvious.

With a tremendous amount of focus, Ein taunted again: "Nope..." The strain in his voice, he hoped, was well hidden, "Still nothing... but almost." He forced a grin, taking a brief glance towards his staff. It was about a dozen feet away.

With a single, empty hand still at his chest, the psionicist began to charge a spell. He balled a fist, blue energy beginning to whirl around the tops of his knuckles. The two warriors were a small distance away, Ein having been literally thrown backwards by Vius' slash. The blue-haired man stared intently at his opponent, though he made no further motion to attack. Most of his attention was directed on controlling the pain flowing through his body. He put on a strong face, but the warlock's attack had done more damage beneath the skin than realized. Even breathing was a task, the bruise sinking deep enough to burden the air in his lungs.

This is what he wanted, Vius knew it in his heart. The magic Vius channeled through himself and into his blade was more than he should have been able to use but this feat would cost him. Already, the wings were draining his stamina and now, with his latest effort, it might have pushed him over the edge. Vius was sure he could recover, given enough time. The attack he unleashed was surely worth the effort; if it didn't draw blood, it would at least give Ein pause to reconsider his offer. Once Vius showed his true power, the legendary psionicist would surely rethink his position on whether or not Vius was ready. Even if that wasn't the case, it would at least impress the man, which Vius could count as some small victory.

No...

Vius had given everything he had; all the power of the Void that he could muster had been put into that attack. However, in his inexperience, the warlock had overstepped and given the kind of opening that was precisely what the psionicist had been waiting for. He had wrung out extra speed from his wing spell and forced himself to strike the man he had hoped would become his mentor with nothing held back. The blow had been powerful enough to send Ein flying. Easily enough, the psionicist had shrugged it off in seconds; the blue haired man stood to his feet. Despite the fact that he had lost his signature weapon somewhere in the explosive force of their momentary contact. Vius had felt powerful for a brief second, like a hurricane force battering against a tree, ripping at it's roots. Only Ein had been like the supple trees that dotted the coast; he had bent against the pressure, but he was not broken. The psionicist chided Vius, informing him that it was almost enough. The warlock sighed heavily."That...was everything...I had..."

Vius fell to his knees as his silver wings disappeared. The wings slowly dematerialized and the mana that had been invested in their creation floated upwards in silvery flakes, joining the mana in the air. Vius had been so focused on the fight he had not noticed the wild confluence of magical energies that now pervaded the area. Much like the snow had drifted and floated and been blown in every which way, now the mana did so, tangible in a physical form as small motes of silver and blue light as well as other pale shades. The woman that had held Vius' gaze earlier...could she really be affecting the two spellcasters or somehow feeding on their energy from inside her icy prison? There was no time to digress and analyze this idea. Ein stood before Vius, working his magic. Though he had been disarmed of his physical weapon, there were few factors that could disrupt a psionicist's true weapon; his mind.

Vius' left hand fumbled through his robe, searching for one of his hidden knives. Now it was time for desperation. Woozily, Vius patted his pocket and gripped the cold iron. His head had drooped down and he stared at the ground. Unintentionally, he was making a sort of gesture of obeisance; he knelt before Ein with his head down and his sword planted in the ground as a makeshift crutch. It wasn't over, though. It just couldn't be. The psionicist had outclassed Vius in the battlefield and in the realm of magic but the young elf's tenacity would not allow him to quit. Still, he grasped his knife; he was ready to fight, to make Ein bleed, to prove he was worth something.

With a push off of his planted sword, Vius returned to his feet with a single knife drawn. He still had his sword in hand but he had to take a moment to catch his breath. Still, the knife might slow down whatever Ein was planning. He doubted at this point that he would get lucky with the weak thrown weapon but he knew he had to try. So, Vius arched back slightly and then whipped his arm forward, tossing the knife towards the seemingly unharmed psionicist. The simple exertion almost took Vius off his feet and he staggered forward a step before catching himself. He had to stand and face whatever Ein threw his way or he would prove nothing.

Another step. This time, the psionicist's foot literally sinking somewhat into the ground. Small cracks began to form at the ball of his heel.

"You can barely stand. Your body is broken, yet you still have the willpower to try...?"

It was then that Vius had stumbled forward in his throw. Though the aim was true, the speed of the weapon was lacking. The projectile passed by Ein's side as his gait teetered to the left.

"Let me show you your foolishness."

[Sync Demonic Symbiosis begins]

It all started with a color change, much the same as a vial of ink being dropped into a bucket of water. The flaring energy that had gathered around Ein's hand darkened and became more opaque, more physical. Black fire now danced around his knuckles and forearm, traveling downward as it engulfed the rest of his body. It seemed as if all the forest had gone mad, the ground beginning to rumble and the trees struggling to keep their magical flames lit. There was no wind, instead the ebony blaze just seemed to drain the power of Coldfire. Within the next few moments, Ein's entire form had vanished behind a wall of conflagration.

Vius was met by a chilling laughter, rising from several points all at once. The sound struck in waves, feeling both vaguely distant and alarmingly near, some even emerging as whispers next to the high elf's head. There was something dangerous about this power. Mortalkind had always been afraid of the unknown, but this was different. It chilled to the bone and harvested a dread so primal that it felt otherworldly, a fear of the Gods... or perhaps a fear of those that wielded the strength to oppose them.

With a shockwave, a literal burst of sheer magical force, Ein's form could once again be seen. He stood, waiting; glowing with raw, untamed power. Though upon further examination, it didn't appear to be the psionicist at all. The clothing remained the same, the only semblance to what the Esper looked like previously... but everything else had been altered. His arms were crossed over his chest, obsidian bolts of lightning spiraling down his shoulders and arms. Sharp, red points could be seen at the tips of his fingers-- claws, and the spellcaster's staple blue hair and eyes had shifted and transformed. Both were now a deep red, hair reaching down his back while his eyes stared, dead set, at the warlock before him. His expression was cold, harsh.

And with a speed that left a haze of red in his wake, Ein was upon Vius. What seemed instantaneous, he appeared in front of the Voidcaster, eye-to-eye, before his right hand swung up to try and grab around the high elf's throat. Ein's momentum would likely continue, however. If the attack were to land, Vius would find himself carried to the wall behind him, his feet lifted off the ground.

Vius had watched in frustration as his attack went wide of the target. He could only shake his head and even that almost took his feet out from under him. The strain of using magic was much more here, in this place. Or was it some sort of magic from Ein himself? Whatever the cause, the effect was clear. Vius was worn to the bone, ready to collapse. The only thing keeping him going right now was his own strong mental resolve. How long could one's mind last against an opponent who could delve into it as if it were soft clay and he had a steel shovel? Vius swayed but remained steady, ready as he could be for what Ein would do next.

Or so he thought.

At first, as Ein's form began to shift, the elf was reminded of the first time he battled a psionicist. She had entered his mind and made him believe she was about to destroy him with ebony flames that would trap him forever in their fire. It had been frightening, the power which she made him believe she possessed. For all of that, it had simply been a ruse, though. For a brief moment, as Vius watched those flames engulf Ein, he wanted to believe the legendary psionicist was using the same sort of trickery. As the cold, blue fire of the forest waned and the ground rumbled with the ridiculous amount of pure power being manipulated by the human, if he could even be called that, Vius was sure it was really happening. A nightmare had become real. In confirmation of this fact, a hideous laughter came from everywhere, whispers of contempt and bursts of cruel mockery.

"No...no...no..."

The elf's mouth struggled to form any other word but he found it impossible. What he was seeing simply shouldn't have been possible. What he felt, those confluences of pure, raw power should not have been available to a mortal, especially one who once called himself "human". Vius knew, then and there, the feeling that his ancestors had when mana was first harnessed and used against them. This was simply too much to opposed. He was a stick in the sand of the beach, standing against a crashing wave. There was no point in resisting. Yet something inside the stubborn elf would not let him collapse.

Vius raised a hand against the unseen force that suddenly burst forth as Ein emerged from the fires. Or was it something wearing his clothes, his skin? Vius trembled and futilely raised his sword, as if that hung of steel, regardless of it's magical nature, could do anything now. Or could it? Almost as soon as he had thought of it, the question became an obsession. As a poison moves quicker through a person with a faster metabolism, so too did the fear that would have affected a duller mind than Vius'. Now, his curiosity was sparked beyond anything he had ever wondered about. Before, he would have followed Ein to the ends of this world to learn from him. Now, he would travel beyond the fringes of his own sanity to learn about him. Was it a secret of his bloodline that allowed him to transform so? Was it a learned skill? Did he kill someone or something and harness it's power? Was the woman a part of it? What did it all mean? The elf's left hand found it's way to his amulet, the gift from Akmun. He would need strength to find the answers he sought. An azure glow indicated it's activation and Vius found himself able to stand almost sure-footed before his opponent.

"...yes."

In a crimson blur, this monster he had once called Ein was on him. Vius couldn't even make a sound as the thing gripped his throat and carried him forward with speed that even Vius' quick mind could hardly react to or even follow. There was a gust of wind at his back as Vius was raised off his feet and then a solid impact against stone...or was it ice? Chunks of whatever he had just been ground against clattered about him and the world faded to gray but Vius fought against the pull towards unconsciousness. He met it's cold, dark crimson orbs and opened his mouth. No words came out, only high pitched, frantic laughter. Perhaps the psionicist had entered his mind and broken it completely. There was a clattering of metal against stone and Vius realized, with some sadness, that he had dropped his sword. A metallic taste in the back of his throat. He was bleeding. Through red-stained teeth, he gritted out a few wheezing words.